Tag: young adult

Book Review

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: March 2023

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I had a GREAT READING MONTH Y’ALL. 45 books, so many five stars. I’m reading for spring!

Favorites this month!

  • Last Violent Call
  • Pleasantly Pursued
  • Betting on the Boy Next Door
  • Blackmoore
  • Kulti
  • The Bear and the Nightingale
  • The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
  • When the Day Comes
  • The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Reread)
  • Things We Never Got Over
  • Along a Breton Shore
  • Return to Satterthwaite Court
  • Six Scorched Roses
  • Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder
  • Lady of Darkness
  • The Girl in the Tower
  • The Winter of the Witch
  • Tilly in Technicolor
  • Kissing for Keeps
  • Wicked Walking

Least favorites:

  • The Impossible Princess
  • Trial of the Sun Queen
  • A Crown of Swords
  • [Novella] Last Violent Call (Foul Lady Fortune #1.5) by Chloe Gong
  • Pleasantly Pursued (Bradwell Brothers #2) by Kasey Stockton
  • The Heir and the Spare by Kate Stradling
  • One Iridescent Night (The Iridescent Series #1) by Brianne Wik
  • Infinity + One by Amy Harmon
  • [ARC] Betting on the Boy Next Door (Betting on Love #1) by Melanie Jacobson
  • [Reread] Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
  • [ALC] Long Live the Elf Queen (The Elf Queen #2) by J.M. Kearl
  • [ARC] When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder
  • Gentleman Jim (Somerset Stories #2) by Mimi Matthews
  • [Reread] Kulti by Mariana Zapata
  • [ARC] Oxford Star by Laura Bradbury
  • [Reread] The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden
  • The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi #1) by S.A. Chakraborty
  • The Impossible Princess by Kiera Dominguez
  • When the Day Comes (Timeless #1) by Gabrielle Meyer
  • [ARC] Legends and Liars (Echoes and Empires #2) by Morgan Rhodes
  • [Reread] The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) by Carissa Broadbent
  • The Fire in the Glass (The Charismatics #1) by Jacquelyn Benson
  • Sir Andrew and the Authoress (Clairvoir Castle Romances #3) by Sally Britton
  • Things We Never Got Over (Knockemout #1) by Lucy Score
  • [ARC] Along A Breton Shore by Arlem Hawks
  • Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos #1) by Nisha J. Tuli
  • A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time #7) by Robert Jordan
  • Nightbirds (Nightbirds #1) by Kate J. Armstrong
  • [ARC] Return to Satterthwaite Court (Somerset Stories #3) by Mimi Matthews
  • A Companion for the Count (Clairvoir Castle Romances #2) by Sally Britton
  • The Prince of Prohibition (Fae of the Roaring Age #1) by Marilyn Marks
  • Oathbound (The Royal Rose Chronicles #1) by Victoria McCombs
  • [ARC/Novella] Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5) by Carissa Broadbent
  • [ARC] Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • Lady of Darkness (Lady of Darkness #1) by Melissa K. Roehrich
  • [Reread] The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy #2) by Katherine Arden
  • [Gifted] Love Redesigned (Some Kind of Love #1) by Jenny Proctor
  • Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen
  • Lady of Shadows (Lady of Darkness #2) by Melissa K. Roehrich
  • This Time It’s Real by Ann Liang
  • Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints #1) by M.K. Lobb
  • [Reread] The Winter of the Witch (The Winternight Trilogy #3) by Katherine Arden
  • [ARC] Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings
  • The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
  • Battling the Bluestocking (The Donovans #3) by Martha Keyes
  • [ARC] Kissing for Keeps (Sheppard’s in Love #1) by Martha Keyes
  • [Gifted] Wicked Walking (Fallow Creek #2) by Claudia Cain
  • The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester

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Book Review

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: January 2023

GoodeyReads

ALL THE BOOKS. I had a SUPER great reading month (mostly because I reread all of Mary E. Pearson’s books and they are top level). And I ALMOST made it through the month without a two star (but End of Story gets to hold that prize).

Favorite Books

  • Eloise and the Grump Next Door
  • Tress of the Emerald Sea
  • Divine Rivals
  • Dragonfire
  • Whispers of You
  • The Love Wager
  • Speechless
  • Dance of Thieves & Vow of Thieves
  • Wildheart
  • The Remnant Chronicles
  • Merritt and Her Childhood Crush
  • The Buy-In

Least Favorite

  • The Realm of Oblivion
  • End of Story
  • The Rebels of Gold (Loom Saga #3) by Elise Kova
  • The Sisters of Sea View (On Devonshire Shores #1) by Julie Klassen
  • [ALC] Eloise and the Grump Next Door (Oakley Island Romcom #1) by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor
  • Tress of the Emerald Sea (The Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Angels of the Resistance by Noelle Salazar
  • The Earl’s Hideaway, No Ladies Allowed (Romance of Rank #2) by Esther Hatch
  • The Mobster’s Daughter by Rachel Scott McDaniel
  • A Fire Endless (Elements of Cadence #2) by Rebecca Ross
  • Stellarlune (Keeper of the Lost Cities #9) by Shannon Messenger
  • [ARC] Divine Rivals (Iris at the Front #1) by Rebecca Ross
  • A Deal with the Devil (The Devils #1) by Elizabeth O’Roark
  • The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology #1) by Holly Black
  • Dragonfire (The Starchaser Saga #6) by Renee Dugan
  • [ARC/ALC] Whispers of You (The Lost & Found #1) by Catherine Cowles
  • [ARC] The Love Wager (Mr. Wrong Number #2) by Lynn Painter
  • The Fires of Heaven (The Wheel of Time #5) by Robert Jordan
  • [Novella] Move It or Lose It (Love Mishaps #3) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • Speechless by Lindsey Lanza
  • Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
  • [Non-Fiction] Flight of Gold by Kevin A. McGregor
  • [Reread] Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves #1) by Mary E. Pearson
  • Wildheart (The Starchaser Saga #7) by Renee Dugan
  • [Reread] The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by Mary E. Pearson
  • [ARC] Stars and Smoke (Stars and Smoke #1) by Marie Lu
  • [ARC] This Dark Alliance (The Curse of the Blessed #1) by Renee Dugan
  • Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman
  • [Reread] Vow of Thieves (Dance of Thieves #2) by Mary E. Pearson
  • [Reread]The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson
  • The Chemistry of Love by Sariah Wilson
  • [ARC] The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton
  • The Realm of Oblivion by Marae Good
  • [Reread] The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #3) by Mary E. Pearson
  • What I Did for a Duke (Pennyroyal Green #5) by Julie Anne Long
  • [ARC] Merritt and Her Childhood Crush (Oakley Island Romcom #2) by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor
  • [Gifted/ARC] A Match in the Making (The Matchmakers #1) by Jen Turano
  • [Reread/ALC] The Buy-In (Graham Brothers #1) by Emma St. Clair
  • [Gifted/ARC] End of Story by Kylie Scott
  • Maidens of Candlelight and Lotuses (The Zheninghai Chronicles #0) by Anastasis Blythe
  • To Catch a Suitor (Dalton Family #2) by Sarah Adams
  • [Gifted] Hearts of Steel (The Blackstone Legacy #3) by Elizabeth Camden
  • House of Pounding Hearts (The Kingdom of Crows #2) by Olivia Wildenstein
  • Regrets Only by Kieran Scott

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Book Review

Book Review: Christmas As We Know It by Sarah Sutton

GoodeyReads

Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: YA Contemporary romance
Length: 248 pages
Author: Sarah Sutton
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: December 1st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Christmas as I know it is blown away with the winter wind when my mom drops a bomb the size of the Rockefeller Tree—we’re going to Florida for winter break, AKA the land of no snow. And since this is the last Christmas season of my high school career, my last chance to spend the holidays with my friends before we all go off to college, the news is anything but merry and bright.

There is one silver lining, though. Bentley, the sweet and kind guy I’ve been crushing on for years, is in my volunteer group for the annual Winter Festival. And did I mention his love for Christmas just might rival my own? Even though I’ll be missing out on the Winter Festival, being paired with Bentley almost makes it worth it.

Until something happens with Jason, my best friend since elementary school. Something that may or may not involve an almost kiss. Jason’s the opposite of jolly, the Grinch to my Mrs. Claus, and though every year I have to drag him along for the Yuletide ride, this December, he’s grumpier than ever about the holidays.

But the closer I get to Bentley, and the more it looks like Jason and his ex are getting back together, the more unsure I am about who I want to ring in the new year with.

Maybe all I need is the magic of a mistletoe kiss to make up my mind. Or better yet, a Christmas miracle.

THIS WAS SWEET.

A good young adult holiday romance. It’s a super fast read and bingeable if you’re in the mood for it. I was worried that I wouldn’t like the main character at all, but gave her a chance for growth and it was well received. I thought Mimi was a quintessential teen that caused a few eye rolls, and gratefully a few cheers. I love character growth in books!

I struggled with the way the love triangle was handled. I’m not even sure it was necessary? Or at least to the extent it was drawn out (this is my second book by this author with a love triangle, is this a bad sign?). The friends to lovers was really sweet and I wanted all of the focus on those quiet moments between Mimi and Jason. Jason was a gem.

The Christmas season was in full swing and I love a good snow setting (that I don’t physically have to participate in). The side characters were charming and I love a good group of friends. Things get a bit dramatic at times. I’m not upset with this for a holiday romance though, it’d be one to consider for your TBR.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: head injury from sledding
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, depictions of grief

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Book Review, Monthly Wrap-Up

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: August 2022

GoodeyReads

I finally had a great reading month again! Only one 2 star read and I am hoping to ride this high through the fall.

Favorites this month:

  • The River of Silver
  • Well Traveled
  • A Tale of Stars and Shadow (full series)
  • Miss Newbury’s List
  • A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting
  • The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
  • Kiss and Tell
  • Eloise and the Grump Next Door
  • Violet Made of Thorns
  • Royally Rearranged (reread)
  • Red Rising (reread)
  • Begin Again
  • Complete
  • Hidden Waters
  • The Paris Secret

Least favorite:

  • The Even Odder Couple
  • Echoes of TIme
  • In the Weeds
  • Love on the Brain
  • Back to You
  • The Reigning and the Rule (Surviving Trace #2) by Calia Read
  • [ARC] Defend the Dawn (Defy the Night #2) by Brigid Kemmerer
  • All Tricked Out (Wayfair Witches #13) by A.A. Albright
  • The River of Silver (The Daevabad Trilogy #4) by S.A. Chakraborty
  • The Even Odder Couple (Apple Valley Love Stories #4) by Julie Christianson
  • [ARC] Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin
  • [ARC] Well Traveled (Well Met #4) by Jen DeLuca
  • Scales of Ash & Smoke (Ash & Smoke #1) by Emily L. Schneider
  • A Tale of Stars and Shadow (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #1) by Lisa Cassidy
  • [ARC] Miss Newbury’s List by Megan Walker
  • Echoes of Time (Surviving Time #3) by Calia Read
  • Luna and the Lie by Mariana Zapata
  • Faking it (Wayfair Witches #14) by A.A. Albright
  • A Prince of Song and Shade (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #2) by Lisa Cassidy
  • Brought to Light by Allie Lewis
  • A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin
  • [ARC] The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
  • [Reread] Red Rising (Red Rising #1) by Pierce Brown
  • Testing Times (Wayfair Witches #15) by A.A. Albright
  • [ARC] The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
  • Upgrade by Blake Crouch
  • Kiss and Tell (Creekville Kisses #3) by Melanie Jacobson
  • [ARC] Eloise and the Grump Next Door (Oakley Island Romcoms #1) by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor
  • Violet Made of Thorns (Violet Made of Thorns #1) by Gina Chen
  • [ARC] In the Weeds (Lovelight #2) by B.K. Borison
  • [Reread] Royally Rearranged (Sweet Royal Romcom #1) by Emma St. Clair
  • [ARC] Begin Again by Emma Lord
  • [ARC] Ledge (The Glacian Trilogy #1) by Stacey McEwan
  • A King of Masks and Magic (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #3) by Lisa Cassidy
  • A Duet of Sword and Song (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #4) by Lisa Cassidy
  • A Duel with the Vampire Lord (Married to Magic #3) by Elise Kova
  • The Hookup Plan (The Boyfriend Project #3) by Farrah Rochon
  • [ARC] To Capture His Heart (Matchmakers #2) by Nancy Campbell Allen
  • Complete (The Sweet RomComs #3) by Kortney Keisel
  • [ARC] The Liar’s Crown (Dominion #1) by Abigail Owen
  • Unhappening Ever After (Wayfair Witches #16) by A.A. Albright
  • Promised by Leah Garriot
  • Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
  • A Confirmed Rake (The Donovans #2) by Martha Keyes
  • Back to You (San Diego Marines #1) by Jess Mastorakos
  • Hidden Waters (Tattered & Torn #3) by Catherine Cowles
  • The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester

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